1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surface texture materials, and more particularly to a novel pressurized substance containing a fibrous material in liquid or semi-liquid form that is storable and dispensable from an air-tight pressurized container to be sprayed onto an acoustic ceiling areas so that after subsequent curing and hardening, a matching texture surface is provided with that of surrounding acoustic ceiling areas.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It has been the conventional practice in the procedure of patching acoustic ceiling areas to remove the damaged portion of the ceiling and subsequently fill any holes, depressions, or the like with a prepared patch material. The patch or replacement material is applied by means of a trowel or other flat tool that will press the patch material into the hole or depression and that will prepare and provide a surface area to receive a finish surface coating. After the patch material has cured and adhered to the original support material, a smooth surface is provided that receives the final coating. This coating leaves a smooth surface that is not matched to the surrounding roughened or textured surface.
An acoustic ceiling surface usually presents a surface texture that is bumpy or presents an irregular look and sometimes is referred to as a xe2x80x9cPopcorn effectxe2x80x9d. Such an appearance and surface texture cannot be attained through the use of smoothing tools or patch tools once the patch material has been applied to the damaged or repaired area. Therefore, difficulties and problems have been encountered that stem largely from the fact that the use and application of conventional patching materials on acoustic ceiling repairs leaves a surface texture that does not match the surrounding area and is noticeable after the repair has been completed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,505,344, 5,476,879, and 5,341,970, all to the present Applicant, disclose an acoustic ceiling patch that is sprayable from a hand-held aerosol dispenser. However, certain materials, such as Styrofoam (Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.), used in the acoustic ceiling patch to provide texture in the material, cannot be used in the presence of volatile organic compound (VOC) propellants because they will deteriorate or melt. Therefore, only non-VOC propellants or compressed air may be used with these materials. However, the use of non-VOC propellants or compressed air require a greater pressure to dispense the patch containing these materials. The greater pressure may lead to some loss of control for the user when spraying the patch material. Along with the use of a greater pressure to dispense the patch material is the decrease in atomization of the patch material when being dispensed.
Therefore, there is a need for an acoustic ceiling patch material that may be applied to a repaired or patched area, and that may be contained in a hand-held applicator and dispensed, using VOC propellants, requiring only one hand, so that the material may be conveniently stored as well as applied to the repaired area in a simple and convenient manner.
It has been discovered that the use of fibrous materials allows the patch material to clump together to form particulates resembling the Styrofoam used in conventional methods. This helps produce the xe2x80x9cPopcorn effectxe2x80x9d. The patch material can then build up upon itself without a need for additional repair material on the damaged area.
An object of an embodiment the present invention is to provide an acoustic ceiling spray patch material that is storable and dispensable from a hand-held dispensing unit for spray-on and direct application of the material in a liquid or semi-liquid form onto a repaired or patched area so that the surrounding surface texture will be visually and mechanically matched.
Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, practical and economical means for matching the surface texture of a repaired or patched surface area on an acoustic ceiling with the surrounding acoustic surface texture.
Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to improve the appearance of acoustic ceiling patched or repaired areas on a ceiling surface by employing a spray-on textured material that covers the patched or repaired areas and visually assumes the surface texture of the surrounding acoustic ceiling surface.
Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a more controllable acoustic patch spray that does not require a high build-up of pressure in order to propel the patch material.
A further object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a fibrous material for use in a more controllable acoustic patch spray.
A further object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a fibrous material for use in a more controllable acoustic patch spray that will not disintegrate or melt upon spraying in the presence of volatile organic compound (VOC) propellants.
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention, which provides a novel material that is storable and dispensable from a convenient dispenser including a pressurized container holding a quantity of the acoustic ceiling fibrous texture material in a liquid or semi-liquid condition so that upon depression of a dispensing nozzle, the material will be discharged and directed to a patch area intended to receive the surface texture material. The hardenable flowable material includes a base, a filler, an adhesive binder, fibrous materials, that do not decompose in the presence of VOC propellants in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an anti-foaming agent, a suspension agent, and an aerosol propellant, preferably a VOC propellant, that serves as a carrier medium and a pressure source so that the hardenable flowable material may be applied by spray and will adhere to the repaired patch and drywall surface. Such fibrous materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene fibers, polyethylene fibers, plastic fibers, cotton fibers, natural fibers, and synthetic fibers. In place of the fibrous materials, an aggregate, made of rubber particulates or polyethylene particulates, that does not decompose in the presence of VOC propellants, may be used.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the acoustic ceiling textured material may include: a base or emulsion of water and/or solvent; an adhesive binder made of a natural or synthetic polymer; a pressurized carrier for dispensing of the material, such as a solvent/propellant aerosol that mixes with the composition; a filler made of a mixture of calcium-carbonate (limestone), mica, or clay; and fibrous materials that clump together to form particulates resembling the Styrofoam used in conventional methods that help produce the xe2x80x9cPopcorn effectxe2x80x9d.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the acoustic ceiling textured material may include: a base or emulsion of water and/or solvent; an adhesive binder made of a natural or synthetic polymer; a pressurized carrier for dispensing of the material, such as a solvent/propellant aerosol that mixes with the composition; a filler made of a mixture of calcium-carbonate (limestone), mica, or clay; and an aggregate having rubber particulates or polyethylene-type particulates (that are not dissolvable in solvent or solvent propellants, such as dimethyl ether (DME), propane, or butane) resembling the Styrofoam used in the conventional methods that help produce the xe2x80x9cPopcorn effectxe2x80x9d. Furthermore, the rubber or polyethylene particulates, being of a soft and deformable material, allow for an easier flow through the valves and nozzles of the dispensing container because they are deformable and bend within the valves and nozzles upon dispensing.